GalNet/3303/September
02 SEP Galactic News: Cold War Thawing? Following news that scientists from the Alliance, Empire and Federation have united to form a new research initiative, speculation is mounting that the cold war between the Empire and the Federation could be nearing an end. As the conflict enters its second year, a number of commentators have expressed hope that peace might be in sight. The Imperial Herald’s political correspondent, Daxton Sung, offered the following analysis: “It’s inevitable that the formation of Aegis would lead to assumptions that the cold war is ending, but unfortunately there’s little evidence to that effect. These are the galaxy’s largest superpowers we’re talking about. The fact that there’s accord among certain sectors doesn’t mean there’s harmony at every level.” “But what does either side have to gain from maintaining its position? Neither the Empire nor the Federation has demonstrated it can prevent the other from extracting meta-alloys, which is supposedly what this conflict is all about. The only person to have been significantly affected by all this is poor old Professor Palin, who’s still languishing behind a Federal blockade.” “Frankly, the situation is farcical. I suspect both Arissa Lavigny-Duval and Zachary Hudson know they’re better off calling time on the whole thing, but neither side wants to be seen as ceding to the other. It’s about pride, essentially. Shouldn’t our leaders be above such things?” Neither Federal nor Imperial sources elected to comment. 08 SEP Galactic News: Voices of Dissent Reports that the Federal–Imperial cold war could soon end have resulted in jubilation in many parts of the galaxy. While the impact of the conflict has been relatively modest, many thousands of galactic citizens have nevertheless been disrupted. But as talk of a truce gains ground, anonymous sources have reported that influential Imperials have questioned the wisdom of withdrawing from the Pleiades. Daxton Sung of the Imperial Herald said: “Can the Federation be trusted? That’s the question the Empire is asking. Assuming both sides agree to withdraw, the Empire is worried that the Federation will renege on the deal. But such heel-dragging is to be expected. The fact is that there’s a real desire, on both sides of the fence, to end this ridiculous conflict.” 09 SEP Galactic News: Federal Blockade Ends In October last year, the Federation was criticised for positioning a Farragut-class Battlecruiser above Maia A 3 a, not far from the personal research base of Professor Ishmael Palin. The deployment, which came only days after Professor Palin announced a breakthrough in his research into meta-alloys, was widely interpreted as an attempt to restrict Palin’s movement and curtail his research. The condemnation of rival political powers and the efforts of a number of political campaigners did little to affect the blockade. But recent reports from Maia indicate that the Federal ships have now withdrawn, effectively ending the cordon of Maia A 3 a. Rici Stewart, writing for The Imperial Herald, offering the following evaluation: “The Federation knows that blockading Professor Palin was – at best – unethical, so I’m not surprised they chose not to comment on their withdrawal. They just slipped away in the night.” “As with their efforts to control meta-alloys, the Federation’s attempts to restrict access to Palin’s base were far from successful. I guess the Federation has realised it can’t control the galaxy. If you ask me, this is another sign that the Federal-Imperial cold war could be coming to an end.” Naturally, Professor Palin was pleased with the development: “We may never know exactly why the Federation blockaded Maia A 3 a. Frankly, the galaxy’s superpowers have always been rather incomprehensible to me. All I can say is: I’m glad they’re gone.” 15 SEP Community Goal: The Battle for Ho Hsi Recent reports indicate that conflict has erupted in the Ho Hsi system between Ho Hsi Jet Comms Limited and the Freedom Party of Ho Hsi. System security forces were caught off guard by the violence, which began without warning and has escalated rapidly since then. Both sides have issued calls for aid, appealing to independent combat pilots for support. Commanders who participate in the conflict will be generously rewarded by their chosen faction. A representative of system security forces issued the following statement: “It would be irresponsible of us to encourage independent pilots to join this fight, but if the galactic community can bring this conflict to a swift end, they will have our gratitude.” The two factions have set out week-long operations to take control of the system, which will begin on the 14th of September 3303. Galactic News: Chapterhouse Campaign Concludes A spokesperson for the Kamadhenu Chapterhouse of Inquisition has announced that its plan to establish a series of starports between Colonia and the core systems has received the wholehearted support of the galactic community. Hundreds of pilots took to their ships to deliver construction materials to Shajn Market over the course of the three-week campaign, allowing the Chapterhouse to achieve its ambitious goals. As the campaign drew to a close, a spokesperson for the Chapterhouse released a statement: “Thanks to the hard work of the galaxy’s independent pilots, construction of the first starport is almost complete, work on the second is well underway and construction of the third will begin soon.” “We are immeasurably grateful to those who supported this initiative, and we look forward to a future of increased travel and trade between Colonia and the core.” Pilots who contributed to the campaign can now collect their rewards from Shajn Market in the Kamadhenu system. 16 SEP Galactic News: Federal Capital Ship Destroyed by Thargoids Over the past few months, several reports have surfaced of Federal convoys coming under fire in the Maia system. While circumstantial evidence strongly suggested Thargoid involvement, the Federation declined to comment, saying only that the matter was “under investigation”. But fresh reports indicate that another attack, resulting in the loss of a Farragut-class Battlecruiser and a number of other vessels, has recently taken place. In a galaxy-wide announcement, the Federation confirmed that the attack was perpetrated by Thargoid Interceptor-class vessels, as corroborated by those who survived the assault. Chief of Federal Security Admiral Aden Tanner issued the following statement: “Since we cannot communicate with the Thargoids, and cannot therefore determine the motive for this attack, it cannot be considered an act of war in the conventional sense. Nevertheless, I can confirm that the Thargoids are now considered an enemy of the Federation.” Admiral Tanner’s statement was swiftly followed by a public address from Federal President Zachary Hudson, speaking from the White House on Mars. “Like many others, I hoped that the Thargoids would prove to be peaceful. Today I am forced to concede that my optimism was misplaced. What I say now, I say to every citizen of the Federation: Action will be taken.” “I have given Admiral Tanner total authority over this matter, and extended to him the full resources of the Federal Navy. I have every confidence that he will address this threat to the Federation.” 22 SEP Galactic News: Peace Declared in Ho Hsi Authorities in the Ho Hsi system have confirmed that the conflict between Ho Hsi Jet Comms Limited and the Freedom Party of Ho Hsi has come to an end. Ho Hsi media outlets have reported that the battle was won by Ho Hsi Jet Comms Limited. The Freedom Party of Ho Hsi is understood to have withdrawn its forces. Both factions received support from independent combat pilots, to whom generous rewards were promised, but ultimately it was Ho Hsi Jet Comms Limited that emerged victorious. A spokesperson for Ho Hsi Jet Comms Limited issued a statement to those who rallied to their cause: “Without your help, the Freedom Party of Ho Hsi might have got the better of us. We’ll never forget it.” Pilots who participated in the conflict can now collect their rewards from Hand Ring in the Ho Hsi system. Community Goal: Engineers Appeal for Thargoid Material Following news that the Thargoids have attacked a Federal convoy in the Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55 system, Aegis has recruited two of the galaxy’s foremost independent engineers to immediately begin developing new defensive and offensive technologies. One of these engineers is Liz Ryder, a specialist in explosive weaponry, who spoke to The Federal Times about her involvement: “It’s not about penetrating the Thargoids’ shields – we’ve been blowing each other up for centuries so we’ve gotten pretty good at dealing punishment – it’s about creating weapons that are specifically calibrated to damage Thargoid hardware.” Ryder was asked if she thought it was too late to avert all-out conflict with the Thargoids: “That’s a question for the politicians. My job is to design weapons. And if someone – or something – shoots at you, you’ve got two choices: run away or shoot back. At the moment, the first of those is our only option. It would be nice to have a second.” Professor Ishmael Palin, a leading authority on xenobiology, has also been recruited to the programme. He said: “My first task will be developing a scanner that can provide us with meaningful data on the Thargoids’ ships. Of course, to properly calibrate these new technologies we will need large quantities of Thargoid material.” Aegis has placed an open order for a range of Thargoid materials for use in the programme. Aegis Core has pledged to reward pilots who deliver unknown technology samples, unknown biological matter, ancient relics and explosives to Awyra Flirble in the Eurybia system for Liz Ryder. Aegis Research has promised to reimburse Commanders who deliver unknown technology samples, unknown resin, computer components and resonating separators to Obsidian Orbital in the Maia system for Ishmael Palin. The campaign begins on the 21st of September and will run for one week. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately. Galactic News: Aegis to Widen Remit A spokesperson for Aegis, the joint-superpower initiative established to coordinate research into the Thargoids, has confirmed that the organisation is to widen its remit. The development is understood to be a response to the recent Thargoid attack against Federal ships in the Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55 system. In a statement, the spokesperson said: “Aegis has received sanctions from the leaders of all three superpowers to focus not only on research, but also on defence. This reflects a belief that Aegis, which includes some of the galaxy’s foremost experts on non-human life, is best positioned to coordinate such efforts.” “We understand that some will lament this development, but the decision was arrived at only after careful consideration, and all parties have agreed on its necessity. Rest assured that our research initiatives will continue.” It is understood that the organisation’s budget has been dramatically increased. Galactic News: Federation Addresses Rumours Following news that a Federal convoy was destroyed by Thargoid vessels in the Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55 system, Lieutenant Jarah Kael of the Federal Navy has addressed rumours that the Thargoids may have attacked in self-defence. “There has been speculation that the Thargoid attack was an act of self-preservation. Nothing could be further from the truth.” “It is true that Thargoid vessels typically scan human craft rather than attack, so I can understand how this misconception has taken root, but I assure you it is baseless. Data recovered from IR-W D1-55, including the black box from the Farragut-class Battlecruiser, proves beyond a doubt that the attack was initiated by the Thargoids. To suggest otherwise dishonours the memory of those who lost their lives in this tragedy.” A spokesperson for Aegis, which is coordinating research into the Thargoids, confirmed the veracity of Lieutenant Kael’s statement: “We have been analysing the data from the attack site in an effort to understand the Thargoids’ motives and military capabilities. While I cannot yet reveal the results of that analysis, I can confirm that the convoy was attacked without provocation by multiple Thargoid vessels.” 29 SEP Community Goal: Second Aegis Initiative Last week, Aegis started developing weapons and technologies to address the rising Thargoid threat. While some were dismayed to see Aegis shift to a military focus, the general consensus was that the move was necessary. Following news that Aegis is to embark on a second development initiative, Aegis' military liaison Admiral Aden Tanner released the following statement: "The Thargoids represent a very real threat, and their hostility demands that we take appropriate action. As with our previous initiative, our intention is to collaborate with some of the galaxy's foremost engineers to develop efficient anti-Thargoid technologies." In support of this aim, Aegis's corporate partners Wolf 397 Independents have pledged to reward pilots who deliver tantalum, Thargoid Cyclops tissue samples and CMM Composites to Chelbin Service Station in the Wolf 397 system. The campaign begins on the 28th of September and will run for one week. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately. Community Goal: Winged Hussars Appeal The Winged Hussars have announced plans to establish a recreational installation and a tourist beacon in the HIP 110028 system, next to a little-visited Earth-like world. The organisation has said it hopes to attract wealthy tourists from core systems such as Sol and Achenar – people who want to relax, but who also want to experience some adventure. The Winged Hussars are providing the materials for the new installation, but to cater to the tastes of their future clients they have asked for quantities of Lavian Brandy, Eranin Pearl Whisky, Kongga Ale, Leestian Evil Juice, Indi Bourbon and Bast Snake Gin. Pilots who deliver these intoxicants to Zander Dock in HIP 110028 system will be handsomely rewarded. A spokesperson for the group said: "This is a great opportunity to bring new business to one of the galaxy's border colonies. We are asking independent pilots for help, and we are prepared to offer very competitive prices for the liquors we have requested." The campaign begins on the 28th of September 3303 and will run for one week. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately. Community Goal: Setting up the Candy Shop The Candy Crew Guild, an independent corporate organisation based in the Irusan system, has announced plans to establish a capital shipyard and a scientific research vessel in its home system. It has placed an open order for various commodities for use in the construction. Commander Raijiin, head of the organisation, elaborated on the nature of the campaign. “We need quantities of palladium, titanium and robotics, and we encourage all able and willing pilots to assist us.” “We are expecting the initiative to attract agitators, but security in the system has been increased and many of our own wings are patrolling the trade lanes, to ensure no crime goes unpunished.” The Candy Crew Guild has promised to reward pilots who deliver the requested commodities to Bella Port in the Irusan system. The campaign begins on the 28th of September 3303 and will run for one week. If the final target is met earlier than planned, the campaign will end immediately. Galactic News: Engineers’ Campaign Concludes A spokesperson for Aegis has announced that its appeal for Thargoid-related materials has reached a successful conclusion. Huge quantities of material were delivered to Awyra Flirble and Obsidian Orbital over the past week, following an enthusiastic response from the galactic community. They will now be delivered to the engineers Liz Ryder and Ishmael Palin so they can start work on new technologies to address the mounting Thargoid threat. As the campaign drew to a close, the spokesperson issued a brief statement: “Initiatives of this kind are a mainstay of the galactic economy, but this campaign is of singular importance. Humanity is faced with a clear threat to its safety, and we must do everything we can to oppose it.” “Furthermore, if we are to successfully resist the Thargoids, we will need to develop more advanced technologies. This will not be the last campaign of this kind.” Pilots who contributed to the initiative can now collect their rewards from Awyra Flirble in the Eurybia system and Obsidian Orbital in the Maia system. 30 SEP Galactic News: Report from the Front Lines Many independent pilots have already taken to their ships to test the anti-Thargoid weaponry recently developed by Aegis. Meanwhile, Aegis has assembled a team of specialists to analyse the results of these encounters and determine the new weapons’ efficacy. Admiral Aden Tanner, Aegis’s military liaison, said: “The weapons are working as intended, but the Thargoid vessels are highly resilient. Even with specialised weaponry, it appears their ships can be destroyed only through collective efforts.” “We have received reports of lone pilots, and even small groups, being utterly annihilated by the Thargoids. This tragic news illustrates that although the new weapons are effective, more work must be done if we are to achieve military parity.” Galactic News: Further Thargoid Attacks As Aegis’s first campaign to address the Thargoid threat concludes, reports have reached the core systems of further Thargoid attacks in the Pleiades. On this occasion, a number of Imperial and civilian ships were targeted, with the strikes taking place in HIP 17225, HR 1185, IH-V C2-5 and the Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55. The violence is believed to have resulted in a number of human fatalities. As with the recent attack in the Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55 system, data recovered from the sites indicates that the Thargoids attacked without provocation. Although some of the ships returned fire, none succeeded in destroying or damaging the Thargoid vessels. Professor Cora Shaw, director of the Palin Institute and an authority on xenobiology, commented on the news: “If the Thargoids believe they have some claim to the Pleiades, then what we’re seeing could be territorialism. But it’s equally possible that they see humanity as an enemy, irrespective of where they encounter us. At this stage it’s hard to draw any definite conclusions.” Category:GalNet